1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices which protect doors from marring and damage due to scratching by animals such as dogs.
2. The Prior Art
Pets are an important part of many households. There are, however, many challenges which accompany the ownership of a pet. Pets can, even if properly trained, damage the property of their owner. For example, dogs often damage the property of their owner. A product which reduces pet-caused damage to the owner's property will increase the enjoyment of the pet by its owner.
Many dog owners let their dogs in and out of their house via an exterior door. A dog will communicate its desire to pass through the door by whining, whimpering, barking, and/or scratching on the door. It is generally accepted wisdom that some dogs prefer scratching on the door and/or door jam to communicate their desire to pass through the closed door.
Most undesirably, scratching on the door, door jam, or an adjacent wall will cause damage. The doors through which owners let their dogs pass are often expensive decorative, visually important components of the house. Regardless of whether the door is fabricated from wood, metal, or even some other material, the scratching of a dog will, in time, mar or otherwise damage the surface of the door.
In an effort to avoid damage caused by pet scratching on and around a door, owners of pets commonly install decorative smooth metal plates over the locations on and around the door where the pet tends to scratch. Unfortunately, since scratching on the metal plate does not produce any sound, a dog will often continue to scratch the door at some other location. Thus, the scratching and its accompanying marring and damage continue at other locations.
Other attempts to protect doors from pet scratching involve hanging sheets of material from the door knob so that the pet scratches the material rather than the door. Many of the prior approaches are not suitable for use on an exterior location. Some of these prior approaches even suggest including a chemical pet repellant to repulse the pet. Undesirably, devices which hang from the door knob can, at most, protect the area of the door under the door knob.
Other prior devices which have been proposed include a bell or some other sounding device which rings when the pet scratches the device, thus alerting the owner of the pet's desire to pass through the door. Disadvantageously, such devices can be relatively complicated. Furthermore, many of the previously available devices are visually obtrusive and thus are aesthetically undesirable to the pet's owner and guests.
In view of the forgoing, it would be an advance in the industry to provide a device which was capable of protecting doors and the like from pet scratching while allowing the pet to satisfy its urge to scratch while being aesthetically pleasing to the pet owner as well.